


the home of a stage

by phoenix_divinity



Category: A3! (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Lots of OCs - Freeform, Other, Tries to be Canon Compliant, except for masumi simping for izumi but that’s because it’s canon, female troupes, help??, idk how to tag, literally don’t know what’s happening, might be OOC?, might not have great grammar/spelling, no romantic relationships whatsoever, rated t bc slight cussing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:40:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 5,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27666923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phoenix_divinity/pseuds/phoenix_divinity
Summary: Tachibana Izumi had an idea.A brilliant one.Not that anyone else thought so.-or, tachibana izumi creates the idea of four more sub-troupes, consisting of female actors, and what happens when the idea is carried out.updates sporadically!
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	1. an idea poorly carried out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello! this is my first fanfic, please be nice! i have no idea what i’m doing hehe..

Tachibana Izumi had an idea. 

A brilliant one. 

Not that anyone else thought so. 

“We should have female sub-troupes here!”

Sakyo had sighed. “Izumi, we’re an all-male troupe.”

Izumi shook her head. She was going to make this work. Because why not? She wanted female actors to find a home here, too. It was basically her troupe, anyway. 

First, she started with an audition. 

Unsurprisingly, barely anyone showed up. 

They were about to give up when a girl who couldn’t be older than 21 poked her head through the door. 

“Hey, are the auditions for spring troupe here?”

Izumi practically jumped with joy. “Yes! Hi! What’s your name?”

Leaning against the wall, Masumi asked, “Aren’t you Takahashi Ritsu?”

The girl nodded. “Pleased to make your acquaintance, Usui Masumi.”

“How do you know my name?”

“How would I not?”

He shrugged and put his headphones back on. 

The girl, Takahashi Ritsu, looked at Izumi. “So, what do I need to do to audition?”

“Uh...”

“Don’t tell me you didn’t have a plan, Director,” Banri called. 

“I do! I do, uh, I just can’t find where I put the lines I need her to say...”

“Do you remember them?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Tell them to me.”

“Okay, uh, it was ‘You said it was sixty-five. So I wrote sixty-five on my test. Because of you, I got a failing grade. I’ll forgive you if you buy me a soda. Yes, I know I have low standards.’”

Ritsu looked off to the side for a few seconds, then nodded. “So, do you just want me to act them out right now?”

“Uh, sure?”

She nodded again, then started. 

“Takahashi Ritsu. Hana High third year.”

She was cut off by Tsuzuru, who was standing next to the door. “You’re only a third year?!”

Glancing at him she answered, “What do you mean, only? Anyway, yeah I am, why?”

He shook his head. “You look older than that, but anyway. Sorry for interrupting.”

She shrugged. “Anyway, I’m in my school’s theater club, so I have a bit of acting experience.” She shut her eyes for two seconds. Opening them, she started. “You told me it was sixty-five. ...”

Izumi could tell she had talent. But she could also tell her movements were slightly hesitant, like she was afraid she would do something wrong, and she could also tell that she was putting a little too much emotion into her delivery. 

When she finished, Izumi clapped her hands. “You’re in.”

She tilted her head. “Just like that?”

“Sure.”

“You guys must have very low standards, but okay.”

With a shrug, Izumi glanced back at the door. Juza glanced too, muttering, “Wonder if anyone else’s coming.”

As if right on cue, another girl opened the door, seemingly lost. 

“Are you here for auditions?” Izumi asked. 

The girl narrowed her eyes in confusion and shook her head, dark navy blue hair flying. 

“Masumi-大哥在这里?” she asked. 

“Huh?”

The girl nervously looked to the side, and with broken Japanese, muttered, “Don’t speak... Japanese.”

“Oh!” Izumi exclaimed. A foreigner. Was she a tourist?

Masumi looked over again. “What are you doing here, Ying-mei?”

 _Ying-mei_? Izumi thought. 

“爸爸要看你，Masumi-大哥.”

“Told you to lay off with the ‘ _dage_ ’ stuff.”

She shrugged. “来吧.”

“Fine, fine.”

“Wait Masumi, who’s that girl?” Tsuzuru asked. 

Masumi glanced over. “Half cousin from Shanghai, Liu Changying.”

He then left the theater, one step behind the girl. 

“Guessing she won’t audition then...”

Ritsu shook her head. “Something tells me that she’d like to act on a stage, just not in Japanese.”

Izumi looked at her. “Maybe if we teach her Japanese? At least, she looks like she would be a good set and props creator. She looks strong.”

Sakyo sighed. “You got one girl here, Izumi. What are you gonna do now?”

“Street act.”

Ritsu grinned. “Can I be a part, too?”

“Of course! Let’s see, who wants to come?”

In the end, Sakyo, Banri, Kumon, and Taichi went as well. 

“What the hell are you doing here?” Taichi glared at Ritsu, beginning their act. 

“Why does it matter to you? You were the one who left.”

“Whatever.”

A crowd was starting to form, and Izumi diligently asked people to audition. 

From behind Ritsu, Kumon walked towards Taichi. “What are you trying to accomplish here?” he asked forcefully. 

“Ah, seems like you’ve got a new boy toy, Taka-kun!”

“He’s not my boy toy, Nanao-kun! And don’t call me Taka-kun!”

Taichi made a gesture of him waving her off. Banri looked over. 

“Hey, dudes, you know you’re in the middle of a street, right? Be a great idea to stop.”

Ritsu looked over. “Who the hell are you? You aren’t part of this.”

Banri shrugged and turned back away. 

Ritsu grabbed Kumon’s arm. “C’mon, let’s go.”

This ended the act, and the four looked over at the audience and thanked the crowd. 

As the people left, one girl stayed behind. “Um.. I’d like to audition, if that’s okay?”

Izumi nodded. “What’s your name?”

“Sakamoto Sakae.”

She nodded again. “Well, Sakae-san, you’re in.”

“Uh.. I didn’t actually audition?”

“Wow, you guys must have really, _really_ low standards,” Ritsu said. 

Sakyo sighed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chinese translation index (if i’m wrong, feel free to correct me!) :
> 
> Masumi-大哥在这里？- Is big brother Masumi here?
> 
> 爸爸要看你， Masumi-大哥。- Father wants to see you, big brother Masumi. 
> 
> 来吧 - Come on
> 
> i also don’t have a good grasp on chinese honorifics, so if they don’t actually use -mei and -dage, well then oopsies


	2. an audition with one auditionee (who didn’t expect to audition)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which another member is added to our new troupe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i literally wrote this chapter right after i posted the last one,, it took a bunch of my will power to at least space the chapters out
> 
> also! if anyone is wondering about the timeline this story takes place instead of year 3 bc i’m too lazy to try to incorporate dates and birthdays lol

Izumi clapped her hands. “Two is good for today! Let’s go back and discuss the dorm situation.”

“Hey, uh, Director? what do you mean by ‘dorm situation? As far as I know, there aren’t any more,” Taichi asked. 

Izumi blanked. Of course she’d forgotten about that. 

She made a little hand gesture of waving him off. “Who cares.”

Sakyo grunted a sigh of exasperation. 

They went back to the dorms, and Izumi explained how the troupe worked to Ritsu and Sakae. 

Then she called a construction company. 

This is how Mankai Company acquired 12 new dorms on a cloudy Saturday. 

-

The next day, after Ritsu and Sakae had successfully moved into the dorms, they held another audition. It doesn’t hurt to try again, right? 

Wrong. 

Absolutely no one showed up. Azami and Sakyo repeatedly sighed about a waste of time. 

Finally, when everyone was just about to give up, just like Ritsu had, someone showed up. 

She looked about university-age, or maybe had just started a job. Whatever it was, she was here, and now there would be three people for spring troupe. 

“Hi! Are you here to audition?”

“For what?”

“An acting troupe!”

She was silent. “I don’t act.” her voice sounded monotone, with a hint of sadness and desperation. 

“Are you sure?”

She was silent again. Tsumugi walked up to her. “Are you like me?”

“...Tsukioka-san?”

He grinned. “Hello, Tsuchiya-san, and yes, it’s me.”

“I haven’t seen you in a while. How’ve you been?”

“Pretty good since I joined this troupe last year. You’re ignoring my question, though. Are you like me?”

“...In what way?”

“Did you run from the stage because someone told you that you weren’t good enough?”

She was silent. “...Yes,” she whispered finally. 

“Who?”

“My father.”

“Oh.”

She nodded. “I’ll take my leave now, I guess. Does one of you know where St. Flora Academy is? I’m a bit lost.”

“Do you want to act, though?”

“Takatoo-san? You’re here too? I thought you were with god troupe.”

“I quit last year. Answer my question, please.”

She was quiet again. “...Yes,” she whispered, quieter than a mouse. 

“Do you really? If you did, you’d say it louder.”

“..Y-yes. I want to act on a stage again.”

“Then why don’t you stay for an audition?”

“I can’t. I have an appointment at St. Flora’s.”

“Could you come later, then, maybe?” Tsumugi asked her. 

She slowly nodded. “Maybe.”

Izumi smiled. “Come whenever you’d like. In the meantime, Yuki, Muku, can you show..”

“Tsuchiya Mizuki.”

“..Mizuki-san where St. Flora’s is?”

“Of course, Director!” Muku smiled, as Yuki nodded curtly. 

“Great, thanks!”

-

Mizuki auditioned the next day. This time, she did an etude, the theme being “books”. 

Izumi watched as she acted, pretending to be an exasperated high school teacher. 

“Sit down. Turn to page 76 in your workbooks. Yes, I know you’re missing yours, Sato-kun, and no, for the last time, you can’t borrow mine. Go talk to the librarian later. Ito-san, can you please pay attention and stop trying to flirt with Tanaka-kun? Yes, we all know you’re trying. *sigh* Watanabe-san, your English workbook.”

Her acting was like a perfect mixture of Tsumugi and Tasuku’s. Graceful and delicate, yet she commanded attention from the first second she stood on the stage. 

Finishing her act, she straightened and asked, “How was that?”

“Amazing. You’re an amazing actor, Mizuki-san.”

“Drop the -san. It makes me feel older than I am.”

“Alright, Mizuki.”

“So.. when will I know when I’ve passed?”

“Now. You’re in.”

From her seat behind Izumi, Ritsu said, “I know she just did an amazing improv, but that fast? Mankai Company has seriously low standards.”

From behind her, Azami answered, “Well, we do have a foreigner, uh, no, two foreigners, a basically ex-homeless man, a useless adult who stays in his room and games all day, a man who can’t remember anything, a yakuza right hand man, an ex-gang member, a man who we can never tell if he’s lying or not, two street fighters, me, the son of a yakuza boss, and a bunch of other chaotic people. Of course we have low standards.”

Ritsu stared at him. “..W-what the _fuck_.”

Azami shrugged. 

Turning back to the stage, Izumi clapped her hands. “Anyway! Mizuki! let’s start talking about how this troupe works.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> list of members thus far:
> 
> spring troupe:  
> takahashi ritsu  
> sakamoto sakae  
> tsuchiya mizuki


	3. a school lunch, an closed theater, and an impromptu audition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which the rest of our new spring troupe is brought to mankai company.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so.. some parts might sound a bit cringy, sorry bout that

Kikuchi Sakura was Sakae’s best friend, who was informed about Mankai Company at their school of Tsukushi High. 

“Really? You joined an acting troupe? That’s so cool!”

“Mhm, but we only have three members for our sub-troupe so far. I don’t think we can even really start rehearsing yet.”

“Really? That’s sad. Hm, let me think... oh! I could your troupe as well!”

“You could? That would be amazing! But isn’t that kinda sudden?”

Sakura shrugged. “I’ve always thought acting was cool. I wanted to try it out for myself.”

“Oh, and get this: Sumeragi Tenma is in Mankai Company.”

“ _The_ Sumeragi Tenma?! Really?! Ohmygod, that is so cool.”

Kumon walked past the two girls. “Oh, hey Sakamoto-san! I didn’t know you went here!”

“Hey Kumon-senpai! Saku-chan, this is Hyodo Kumon. He also acts at Mankai Company.”

“Don’t call him senpai, it sounds weird,” Azami cut in, standing next to Kumon. 

“Saku-chan was thinking of joining too,” Sakae ignored Azami. 

“Really? That would be great! Director-san’s been having a hard time trying to find new members.”

“Yeah, and shitty Sakyo has been sighing all the time because of her, it’s annoying.”

The bell sounded then, telling everyone to get to class. “Maybe I’ll talk to you guys later! Bye!” Kumon grinned. 

Sakura waved back as Sakae said, “See you later!” to them. 

“Aah, they were cute,” Sakura sighed, after they had left. “Is everyone else at Mankai Company as good-looking as them?”

“You know I don’t pay attention to that stuff.”

Sakura lightly pushed Sakae’s shoulder. “You’re no fun, Kae-chan.”

-

Sitting down on a bench, Akiyama Hanako waited for her twin to show up. She was late again. 

This wasn’t a rather new thing, her sister being one of the most absent minded people she knew in the world. But it was still annoying. 

Hanako sighed as she stood back up. She was going to have to look for her now. Where was she at this time, a gay bar or something? 

Walking past the theaters of Veludo Way, Hanako finally caught sight of her sister’s silvery pink hair. She was standing in front of an old theater that looked empty, like it had been abandoned years ago. Peering inside, though, it looked much too clean to be abandoned. 

“Haruuuki!” she yelled, coming up behind her sister. 

She turned around. “Oh, Hanako! What brings you here?”

“You were late again, so I had to find you.”

“Sorry about that. But look, they’re holding auditions here. Haven’t you always wanted to act?”

“Acting was always a you thing, Haruki.”

Haruki nodded dreamily. “You would like to act as well, wouldn’t you, though?”

“I can’t say I particularly would want to, but I’d do it.”

“Let’s audition here.”

“Uh.. why?”

“So we can act.”

“I never said I wanted to!”

She ignored her in favor of knocking on the door. “Hello? We’d like to audition, please!”

There was no answer. 

“There’s no one there, Haruki. Come on.”

“Hm? What are you doing here?” an brown-haired male asked. Hanako jumped. 

“Oh, it’s just you, Fushimi-san.”

He nodded. “Are you waiting for something?”

“Yes,” Haruki said, before Hanako could answer. “We wanted to audition.”

From behind him, a woman spoke up. “Really? You guys want to audition? Great!”

“Uh.. who are you?” Hanako asked. 

“Tachibana Izumi, director of Mankai Company!”

“Mankai Company...? Isn’t that the troupe Mom used to like, Hanako?” Haruki asked her sister. 

“Yeah, I think so.”

“What are your guys’s names?” Izumi cut into their conversation. 

Hanako looked at her. “I’m Akiyama Hanako. This is my twin, Akiyama Haruki.”

“Nice to meet you guys! So, let’s have an audition!”

Standing on the stage, Hanako went first. 

“Uh, so.. I’m Akiyama Hanako. Second year at Yosei University. No acting experience, sans plays I was mandated to be in in school.”

“Can you do an etude for us?”

“..What’s an etude?”

“An improv skit. There’s no theme, this time.”

“Alright.”

She stood there blankly, staring at the floor. Looking up, she slowly started. 

“My mama used to tell me a story. It was my favorite, but I can’t remember it anymore. Do you think you could help? No, I don’t remember. ..oh. Do you know a place that could help me? Sure, I guess I’ll try there. Thanks.”

She got off the stage and sat next to Izumi. 

Haruki was next. “I’m Akiyama Haruki. Second year of university at Veludo Arts University. No acting experience.”

She was quiet, thinking of what she should do her etude on. Then, she narrowed her eyes, beginning her act. 

“Oi! Get over here! You made this mess, don’t just run!”

She looks oddly serious, Hanako thought. 

“It’s your fault, not mine! Clean this up or I’ll tell the boss!” 

She paused, as if wondering what she should do next. After a while, she told them, “Sorry, that’s all I have.”

“No, no, that was good!”

“I’ve never heard Haruki yell,” Hanako muttered. 

“You guys are both in!”

Haruki gave a cheer, and Hanako looked at Izumi. “Just like that?”

“Yeah.”

“..okay, then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> list of members thus far:
> 
> spring troupe:  
> takahashi ritsu  
> sakamoto sakae  
> tsuchiya mizuki  
> kikuchi sakura  
> akiyama hanako  
> akiyama haruki


	4. a rehearsal, a leader, and a name

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which our spring troupe has its first rehearsal, chooses a leader, and decides on a new name for themselves.

After the new female Spring Troupe had settled in, (Ritsu and Mizuki in room 107, Sakae and Sakura in room 108, and Hanako and Haruki in room 109), they started rehearsals. 

Izumi sent them in pairs to do some etudes, the first being Sakae and Sakura. 

Neither of them had actually auditioned to join the troupe, so Izumi was a bit curious as to how good they were at the moment. 

“Why are you here?”

“Am I not supposed to be?”

Sakae drew a blank as to what to say next. “Uh..”

Basically, they weren’t exactly the best. 

“It’s okay, it’s okay! Try again with something else!” Izumi told them. 

They looked at each other. “..Alright,” Sakae managed to get out. 

She stood quietly for a second. “You didn’t tell me that!”

“..Tell you what?”

“That.. that..”

“That I had a brother?”

“Yes! I’d known you since preschool but I never knew!”

“..oh. I thought I did. And, uh, it’s not exactly something I’d willingly talk about...”

“...oh. Sorry.”

“I-it’s okay.”

They finished with that, both shyly staring at the floor. 

“Hm, that was good!” Izumi smiled. “But I bet that a while with us can make you guys a lot better!”

“Y-you can?”

“Sure, I mean, pretty much half of our company were amateurs when they started!”

“Really? But they’re so good!”

“Yep! And we can do the same for you! Okay, who’s next?”

Hanako and Haruki were next. 

“You’re wrong,” Hanako glared, teeth gritted. 

“How am I wrong?” Haruki had a smug look on her face, like her character was playing with a fun new toy. 

“Just because you own all the money and our parents still talk to you doesn’t mean that everything is yours and yours only.”

“Big talk coming from you, who was kicked out, _Hana-chan_.” Haruki delivered those last words with a smirk, now looking like a lion ready to hunt their prey.

Hanako’s eyes flashed. “Don’t you dare call me that,” she growled. 

“Why not, my dear _imouto-san_?”

Hanako cracked her knuckles. “You’ll get it from me.”

“Now we’re talking.”

Izumi looked at them when they finished. “Just a curious question, who’s older?”

Hanako laughed. “Haruki actually is, by ten minutes.”

“Cool,” Ritsu called. “Is it my turn now?”

It was, along with Mizuki. 

“Go to your room,”Mizuki ordered, just like a mother. 

“You’re not my mother.”

“I might as well be now.”

“What if I won’t acknowledge it?”

“Well, then, that’s your own thing.”

“My real mother wouldn’t have made me do this.”

Mizuki laughed. “I daresay she would’ve. And I’m not your real mother, I know. But for now I’m your maternal figure, and I say go to bed.”

Ritsu scolded in annoyance. “Fine, I’m going. I’m not a kid.”

“You’re not an adult though.”

“Hmph.”

“Better correct that attitude of yours, missy!”

“Don’t tell me what to do.”

The pair pulled off the duo of mother and daughter perfectly, somehow, despite barely knowing each other. Ritsu’s acting still could use a little polishing, though. 

After their rehearsal had finished, they started talking about other things, like the leader. 

“The leader should be ready to take the position, and work live up to its name. You don’t have to volunteer if you don’t want to. Also, a lot of times we’ve been having the leader be the troupe’s lead for their first play.”

No one said a word. Until Haruki said, “I think Ritsu would be a good leader.”

“M-me?” Ritsu exclaimed. 

Sakura looked at her. “She’s right. You do seem like you have this commanding aura to you.”

“..Huh. I g-guess I’ll be leader then. But I don’t want the lead part just yet.”

Izumi hummed. “I guess we’ll have Tsuzuru write a play and see who would be lead best then.”

The rest of them nodded. 

“Oh! We should think of a name for you guys, because it’s be pretty annoying to say ‘female spring troupe’ all the time.”

Ritsu nodded. “Okay, then what should we do?”

Everyone was quiet again. Then, quietly, Mizuki muttered, “Maybe something like flowers?”

“Hm?”

“Because we’re spring troupe. We should do something with flowers.”

“Just nothing to do with sakura blossoms, ‘cause that’d be kinda weird and it’s overused,” Sakura said. 

“Okay,” Mizuki shrugged. 

Hanako sat there, thinking. “How about just ‘Lotus’?”

“‘Just lotus’?” Sakae teased. 

“You know what I mean,” Hanako frowned. 

“Oh yeah, that’s cute. Let’s go with Lotus.”

“Alright, everyone okay with you guys being called Lotus?”

They nodded. 

“Great! I’ll ask Tsuzuru to start writing a script for you guys. You’re dismissed!”

-

Izumi bumped into someone. “Oh, sorry- oh! Tsuzuru! Just who I was looking for!”

“Huh? Why?”

“Could you start writing the script for Lotus?”

“And lotus is...?”

“The female spring troupe.”

“Oh yeah, ‘course. Do you know who’ll be the lead?”

“Uh, we were just planning for you to write the script and then figure it out.”

“Hm,” Tsuzuru hummed. “Okay. I’ve had some ideas of female plays I wanted to write.”

“Great! And don’t pull any all-nighters again!”

“No promises, but I’ll try!” Tsuzuru started for his room. 

“You’d better!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> list of members thus far:
> 
> spring troupe:  
> takahashi ritsu  
> sakamoto sakae  
> tsuchiya mizuki  
> kikuchi sakura  
> akiyama hanako  
> akiyama haruki  
> — complete —
> 
> aaand that’s all the prewritten stuff i had, updates might be slower, sorry!


	5. a new script

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which tsuzuru finishes our new sub-troupe's script

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so when i said i'd probably not update really often... i didn't expect it to be almost a month later
> 
> whoops :P

Izumi walked into the common room. It was quiet that day, most people still out, except for Sakae, Tsumugi, and Taichi. Taichi and Sakae were still in their uniforms, and Tsumugi was calmly tutoring them.

“Hey guys!”

They looked up. “Hello, Director,” Tsumugi waved, as Taichi and Sakae waved. The three all looked back down at the books and papers scattered over the table.

The door opened, and in came Juza and Banri, yelling as usual. Two minutes later, the door opened again, and there was Tenma and Yuki arguing, with Muku trying to calm them down and Sakuya pulling Masumi in behind them.

There goes the quiet.

One after another, people came home. Next was Kumon and Azami, with Sakura tagging along behind them. Haruki came in after, announcing Hanako would be back later, because she had some tutoring assignment. Omi came in, holding a few bags of groceries, and Kazunari came in after him.

After everyone had calmed down or retreated to their rooms, The door opened loudly again.

Looking over at the door, Sakura shrieked, which caused Ritsu to quickly look over and yell as well.

“It’s...done…”

The Spring Troupe ran over to catch him, as calmly as if they were catching a ball.

Sakae blinked. “Is… he okay?”

Sakuya grinned. “He’s fine! Don’t worry, he just finished a script!”

“I told him not to take any all-nighters,” Izumi mumbled.

They carried him over to a couch, and Izumi pried the papers from his hand. The Little Mermaid, it read.

-

Izumi had just come back from making copies when Tsuzuru shakily sat up. “How’s the script?” he said, like someone who had drank one too many Red Bulls.

She nodded and smiled. “It’s great!”  
Ritsu grabbed a copy, and Hanako walked in. “What’s going on?”

“Aki-chan! The script is done!” Sakura yelled, as Hanako mumbled, “Aki-chan?”

She nodded. Hanako took a copy and flipped through it, mumbling lines that caught her eye. “The lead sounds like Haruki,” she muttered.

“Like me?” Haruki asked.

“Yeah.”

Haruki flipped through the script as well. “And Aria sounds like you, Hanako.”

She smiled. “The two sisters playing sisters, huh..”

Ritsu grinned. “Athena acts like Mizuki-san!”

Sakae grinned as well. “This ending is so much better than the original ending of the fairy tale.”

“How did it end? You read it?” Sakura asked her.

She nodded. “I think the mermaid died but then became an air spirit or something.”

Ritsu flipped through the script some more. “Oh! I can see Sakae being Erica.”

“Mn, in this Erica is just a princess Ariel really wants to be friends with, huh..”

Sakura nodded excitedly. “Kae-chan! Erica does fit you! And I think Rit-chan should be Ursula!”

“I should be Ursula…?” Ritsu asked. Then she nodded. “An evil sea witch… that sounds like fun, actually.”

“So that leaves me as Kamiko!”

Izumi nodded. “Judging from the conversation, we have Haruki-san as the lead, Ariel, Ritsu-san as the second lead, Ursula, Hanako as Aria, Mizuki as Athena, Sakae as Erica, and Sakura as Kamiko, right?”

They all nodded.

“Great! We’ll start rehearsals tomorrow.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *later that night*  
> ritsu: mizuki-san, go to sleep or something…  
> ritsu:   
> ritsu: mizuki….-san?  
> ritsu: *grunts and rolls over*
> 
> and thus we find mizuki really enjoys new scripts and plays, much to ritsu’s expense.


	6. mornings and a rehearsal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which we see the result of mizuki's all-nighter, and the first run-through of their new script.

After an all-nighter (she read the script five times, got most of her lines down pat), Mizuki somehow stumbled to the kitchen.

(Yes, she did run into the door once and banged her finger on the light switch twice because she had forgotten to put her glasses on after taking them off splash her face with water to wake her up. She’d have to go back and get then later.)

She blearily cracked open her eyes a little wider and realized that she, in fact, had not turned on the lights, but turned them off. So she turned them on, and was greeted by the blurry sight of slightly confused Omi, Tasuku, and Tsumugi.

She waved tiredly, grabbed the first thing she could find in the fridge, and collapsed on the couch.

“Mizuki-san, that’s cooking wine..” Omi said, as he walked over and grabbed it from her, replacing it with a mug of coffee.

Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she sighed and muttered an apology, as Tsumugi chuckled.

“What’s so funny?” 

He chuckled again. “You haven’t changed, have you, Mizuki-san?”

“...That’s a rhetorical question, isn’t it.”

“You troupe got a script today, then? What’s it about?” Tasuku asked her, changing the subject.

“The Little Mermaid,” she answered, taking a sip of coffee and remembering that by no means did she enjoy the taste of coffee. Getting up, she put it on the table and went to get a bottle of Red Bull, which Omi then steered her away from, placing another mug, this time filled with hot water, into her hands. She muttered another thank you.

“You even still don’t like coffee,” Tsumugi chuckled.

She frowned. “Be quiet, it tastes horrible. How do people stand this stuff?”

“Coffee is my blood,” mumbled a sleep deprived Tsuzuru, trudging into the kitchen.

“Shouldn’t you be sleeping right now?” Omi asked him, and started walking him back to his dorm.

Now that she was more awake, she asked the two remaining, “Reminds me, what are you doing here?”

“Dunno, couldn’t fall asleep, which woke Tsumugi, and we found Fushimi in the kitchen. I think he was making bentos. You were reading a script, weren’t you?”

Mizuki nodded. “Five times. I think it was a little annoying to Ritsu-san, but she’s asleep right now.”

Tsumugi nodded as well. “Tsuzuru-kun does write good scripts, doesn’t he?”

She agreed, as Omi came back into the room. Just then, there was a loud noise that sounded vaguely like someone falling and a loud yell. The four of them ran to check it out.

It had come from room 108, so they knocked and was greeted by a tired Sakura, rubbing sleep out her eyes.

“Hm? What’s up?”

“Did something happen?” Tsumugi asked her.

She nodded. “Kae-chan fell off the ladder.”

“Huh?” Mizuki asked.

Sakura shrugged. “She forgot we had an essay due, so she stayed up all night doing that. I think she fell asleep climbing the ladder and then fell off.”

“Just like Mikage,” muttered Tasuku grumpily. An alarm rang from room 109, signaling the start of the day. An alarm rang from a cell phone on what seemed to be Sakae’s desk, and she jolted up with a start.

She didn’t even question why she was on the floor, but she did question why there were four adults standing at her door. “G’morning… what’re you guys doing here?”

“We heard a crash-” Mizuki started, and the noise of yelling came from the other side of the dorms. 

“I’ll get them before Sakyo-san wakes up,” Omi volunteered.

“Anyway, Sakae-san, are you hurt anywhere?”

Sakae glanced over her arms and legs and shook her head. “Nope! All good.” Then she looked over at the computer on her desk. “Saku-chan, what time is it?”

“Six forty-five!” she called back, rummaging around for her phone, which had started its own alarm.

The three left for their respective dorm rooms after that.

Ritsu was still asleep when Mizuki entered, her clock feebly running static noises as an alarm. She shook her awake.

The younger groaned and turned over, muttering that she just needed five more minutes.

Another shake, and she grumpily sat up. “Okay, okay, I’m up, Mom-” she grumbled, and then realized that it had been Mizuki who had woken her up, not her mother. Turning red, she fumbled around for her phone and quickly got down from the ladder, as Mizuki lightly laughed.

“Sorry!” she said, and she turned redder.

Mizuki laughed again.

And thus, the Mankai dorms began to wake up.

~

Sitting down in the practice room, highlighter in hand, Sakae frowned as she realized how tough it would really be to act.

Sakura sat down next to her, wearing a frown almost identical to hers.

“How’re we gonna do this?” she mumbled to her friend.

“I don’t know.”

The door opened, and in came Ritsu, eyebrows drawn in concentration, staring down at the script in her hands.

After came Mizuki, and the twins not close behind, with Izumi.

Izumi clapped her hands. “We’ll do a read-through today! Everyone has looked over the script already, right?”

They all nodded.

“I want to go up there, Aria,” Haruki started.

Izumi watched as they went through the whole play. Sakae and Sakura’s acting was still a little wooden, Ritsu still put too much emotion in her deliveries (which, she thought, might actually work out for the sea witch she played.), and Hanako seemed kind of nervous. She could tell the best actors were Mizuki and Haruki, easy, but Hanako and Ritsu weren’t far behind. 

The remaining two, on the other hand…

“Ariel, where are you going? Atlantis isn’t that bad, don’t you think?” Sakura read, sounding awfully like she was just reading a textbook, with just a smidge of emotion. 

“Who are you?” Sakae asked Haruki, who didn’t respond, as written in the script. “Lost your voice, have you? Come on, you look… rather cold. Um, here, take my coat.” She didn’t sound like she was reading a textbook, like Sakura, but she sounded like Kumon did when he had started. Like she only knew one emotion, but this time it was grumpiness, which might actually have been from her all-nighter that day.

Izumi scribbled down some notes. This would be challenging, of course, but it was nothing she couldn’t handle!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so, just a refresher, here are the roles:  
> lead - ariel (a young mermaid) - haruki  
> second lead - ursula (a sea witch) - ritsu  
> supporting role a - erica (a young princess ariel saves from drowning) - sakae  
> supporting role b - athena (ariel's mother) - mizuki  
> supporting role c - aria (ariel's sister) - hanako  
> supporting role d - kamiko (ariel's best friend) - sakura


	7. a visit to the bakery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which we find out the plot of their play and watch a small trip to a new bakery.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was rather rushed, since i realized i hadn’t actually updated in an entire month, whoops
> 
> also, i realized i don’t really have a plot for this and now i don’t really know what’s happening anymore haha

The story went like this: a young mermaid, Ariel, wished to live on land. Kamiko, her best friend, is often confused as to why she feels the way, and her sister, Aria, disapproves almost completely, but that’s because she’s heir to the throne, and wants Ariel in her court when the crown is passed to her. Athena, her mother, is about as confused as Kamiko, though she actively is trying to convince her daughter what a terrible idea it is. 

One day, a storm hits, and on a ship on the ocean, is a princess named Erica. Ariel finds her, and while saving her from drowning, sings her a song. When she wakes up, all alone, she blearily tells herself that she’ll find the girl and thank her. 

Under the water, Ariel keeps thinking about the princess. She goes to visit Ursula, a sea witch who tells her of a way to stand on legs. Ariel will not be able to speak, and to lift that, she must become a close confidant of the princess. Ariel doesn’t understand why, but she complies. 

Ursula wants to rule the waters in place of her sister, the current queen. She knows that Ariel will not be able to complete the requirement. When that happens, Ariel will fall under her complete control. Then, when it’s Aria’s turn to become queen, she will put Ariel in her court, where she can then control her and later take over. 

As days pass by, she realizes how close Ariel is becoming to the princess, and disguises herself as another girl, with Ariel’s voice. Erica hears her, and she remembers the song she had heard. Ursula casts a spell on her, and as Ariel’s time starts to run out, Kamiko finds her and sees the body of Ursula. She tells Ariel this, and Ariel sets out to find a way to stop her. 

Ariel’s voice having been stored in a nautilus shell, she finds a way to break it and get her voice back. Erica, though, does not believe that Ariel was really who saved her, until she sings for her. Ursula, enraged, attempts to then kill the princess and kidnap Ariel, but Aria and Athena intervene, using the magic they had as a way to stop her. When the fight is over, Athena realizes how truly happy Ariel is on land, and casts a spell so that she could remain. 

Sakae was truly enthralled. Having watched one of the Spring Troupe’s plays before, (she thinks it was probably Alex in Wonderland, because she remembers a dark-haired boy as lead) she could see the lighthearted-ness of the story. 

The fairy tale, she remembers vaguely, had been rather dark, compared to the movie. She found this to be a good balance of both, while still keeping a happy ending. 

Now, about the _daikon _-ness of her acting....__

__Sakura walked into the room. “Kae-chan, Kae-chan!”_ _

__Sakae looked up and “hm”-ed in slight surprise and confusion._ _

__“There’s a new bakery opening today! Juza-san and Muku-san are going there, come on, we should go with them!”_ _

__She was slightly bewildered, but complied. After all, there was no saying no to her best friend._ _

__

__The shop was painted a slightly off-white color, with pastel pink and blue highlights. Three aesthetically pleasingly decorated cakes sat in the window, and Muku-san gasped at how nice it looked._ _

__She frowned in thought as they sat down, Sakura and Muku immediately getting up to look at what they sold._ _

__Sakae was slightly intimidated by the man sitting next to her, and said nothing. It wasn’t like he was talking either, anyway._ _

__Coming back a few minutes later, Sakura looked at her friend. “Kae-chan, what’s wrong? Do you not like it here?”_ _

__She jumped slightly. “A-ah, uh, no, I’m fine!”_ _

__Sakura made a disbelieving pouting face._ _

__“Saku-chan, what’s with that look...”_ _

__“I don’t believe you.”_ _

__“You do look a little frustrated, Sakamoto-san,” Muku said._ _

__She made a face. “I told you, Muku-san, you can just call me Sakae.”_ _

__“Kae-chaa~n,” Sakura whined._ _

__“Saku-chan, it’s fine!” Another look said that Sakura still didn’t think so. “Okay, okay, fine, it’s just that I’m a _daikon _actor.”___ _

____“Huh? No, you aren’t!”_ _ _ _

____“That’s not really helping coming from you,” she mumbled._ _ _ _

____“Hm?”_ _ _ _

____“Nothing.”_ _ _ _

____Juza grunted slightly._ _ _ _

____Muku looked over. “What’s wrong, Juu-chan?”_ _ _ _

____He looked at Sakae. “I’ll come to your rehearsal tomorrow.”_ _ _ _

____“What-..?”_ _ _ _

____There wasn’t really an answer, and everyone ended up finishing their cakes and walking home. As they got near to the dorms, Sakae asked nervously, “W...why are you coming to watch our rehearsal...?”_ _ _ _

____Banri, who had been passing by, walked over. “You’re gonna watch them, you _daikon _?”___ _ _ _

______“Shut up, Settsu.”_ _ _ _ _ _

______“Juza-san’s a _daikon _?” Sakura asked.___ _ _ _ _ _

________“Yeah, the dammed worst here.”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________“ _Settsu _.” Juza growled.___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Please don’t fight,” Sakae said._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Muku clapped his hands once. “Oh! I think he’s going to see if he can think of ways to help you! Right, Juu-chan?”_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________There wasn’t really an answer, but everyone could tell that, yes, that was what he was going to do._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________A blur passed by the four of them._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Aki-chan?” Sakura called._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“Talk later,” she responded hurriedly, as the sound of feet slapping pavement became quieter and quieter the farther she got away._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________“She’s fast...” Sakae mumbled. Muku nodded in agreement._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________From the window, Haruki absentmindedly chuckled._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> some parts seem more like the movie than the real fairy tale, this is intentional. i just wanted to keep the lighthearted-ness of spring, so that’s why, haha
> 
> and yea, daikon is supposed to be italicized, but i think my ao3’s not enjoying me and only actually italicized one or two of them, crap

**Author's Note:**

> comments and kudos appreciated! thx for reading!


End file.
